


A Place For Crows To Rest Their Feet

by Artemis_demonicus



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: I'm so sorry, Kaer Morhen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:00:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24775021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis_demonicus/pseuds/Artemis_demonicus
Summary: Jaskier spends his final winter in Kaer Morhen surrounded by his family.
Relationships: Eskel/Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Lambert/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 22
Kudos: 216





	A Place For Crows To Rest Their Feet

**Author's Note:**

> Hello. This is my first ever try at actually writing something so I hope you like it and I'm sorry in advance.

Jaskier was getting on in years and knew he wouldn’t survive to the next winter, so when Geralt offered to take him back up to Kaer Morhen one last time he didn’t refuse. Wanting his family around him in his final moments, but not before calling his students together to say a final goodbye, whispering words of comfort through tears. His students would never let his name be forgotten, singing the famous tales of Jaskier and the white wolf, annoying witchers all around the continent. 

As all his students begin to pile out of the classroom he called one of them back, a young boy that reminded him so much of himself just before he set out to start his bardic career and, according to his songs, had also found a wolf Witcher.

He looked into the eyes of the young bardling and saw the patience and sheer determination it took to follow Lambert of all people around all summer bringing back incredible songs and stories about the youngest wolf.

"Look after him," Jaskier finally sighed, knowing that the youngest wolf would miss his presence, even if he would never admit it, "Lambert I mean, he thinks he doesn't need anyone, thinks he has to suffer the path alone, but I know my wolves and he will appreciate the company in the long run".

Jaskier watched as tears began to well up in the boy’s eyes.

"Don't you ever let my wolves forget about me, make sure they know that I loved them." A tear splashed down onto his clasped hands; he didn't know when he started crying.

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That winter he was doted on by all his beloved wolves, his family. Even Vesemir sat by his bedside some nights, sometimes reading in silence. Only breaking it to thank the bard for making the past few decades easier for Geralt, for all witchers, with his songs.

Eskel would come and tell him stories of where he had been all summer, what monsters he’d fought, and reprimanding him for sending young bards to chase him across the continent. When the others were asleep Jaskier would quietly teach him how to play the lute knowing that the wolves would miss the sound the next winter only pausing to press small kisses to the Witcher’s lips when everything seemed too much. 

Lambert would come and sit in the room, sharpening his swords and cleaning his armour seemingly indifferent to what everyone knew was going to happen but Jaskier knew him better than that and talked enough for the both of them making lewd jokes, eventually giving him a small notebook filled with unfinished songs telling him that his bard would have more use for them then he would.

Finally, Geralt. The man Jaskier had loved unconditionally since the day they met. He would spend the nights lying next to Jaskier whist the old bard ran his fingers through the Witcher’s silver-white locks making Geralt promise to keep having baths even after he wouldn't be there to pick the guts and gore from his hair anymore. Jaskier would sing softly and hum after that never saying much, just being together was enough. After decades of traveling together, they didn't need words. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On his last day, they presented him with a wolf medallion, a replica of each of theirs. Jaskier wept and his family all shared the room that night, talking and talking until Jaskier finally slipped into unconsciousness and the wolves listened, their pain evident, to his heartbeat slow to a stop.

If you asked any of them, they would never admit they wept the next day as they lowered Jaskier's body into a hole dug by the tree that he used to spend days underneath, working on songs until the snow came.

He was buried with the wolf medallion around his neck because maybe he wasn't raised to live the life of violence, but he was still a wolf Witcher all the same.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Each year the wolves returned to their mountain keep. Each spending hours underneath the tree, playing the lute, sharpening swords, or simply just sitting in silence. It was another decade before Lambert brought his bard to the up the mountain. They weren't happy at first, nobody could ever replace their beloved songbird but as they all sat together eating breakfast the young bard finally spoke up, "He wanted you to know he loved you". The room froze, the pain from the loss of their friend, their family still weighing heavily on their minds. "He told me to never let you forget him" there was a loud snort heard after that and the other wolves turned to look at Lambert, stunned as he started laughing. 

"As if we could ever forget him, he never fucking shut up. He's taught you damn bards, to traipse across the continent after us singing nonsense, we couldn't fucking forget him if we wanted to". The other wolves smiled at his outburst; Lambert wasn't wrong. Eskel was the next to speak up

"We know he loved us," he said with a small smile, "Lambert's right, he never shut up about it." 

That night Eskel played some of Jaskier songs on the elven lute that was left to him as they all sat by the fire. They pretended not to notice when Geralt slipped outside, all knowing where he was going.

Sinking slowly to the floor, Geralt sat leaning against the tree, that stood over his best friend’s grave, looking out over the keep and the valley beyond.

"Did you really think we could ever forget about you?" He said quietly "We love you and we always will”

He stayed out by the tree until Eskel finally came out to get him saying the snow would be coming soon. They walked away in silence but just for a second Geralt thought he heard his bard respond.

"I love you too".


End file.
